Shattered Melody
by Renfield E. Drake
Summary: I watched the troops below prepare for battles that were beyond most of their imaginations and as I continued to watch the men training, smelled the smoke of Integral's cigars, and felt the encompassing presence of my master, for once in many years, it felt like everything was the way it should be.
1. Prelude

**Disclaimer:** All characters, settings, and plots belonging to the Hellsing manga or anime are property of Kouta Hirano. I am not profiting from this fiction and am merely writing it in tribute to a series I fully appreciate. **_Appreciate indeed._**

**Authors' Note:** The following fiction is and will be posted in no less than (200) two-hundred and no more than (1000) one-thousand word chapters, which will range from shorter or longer depending entirely upon what type of brick my muse hits me with beforehand. As I do not have a beta at this time, please feel free to let me know of any grammatical errors if they happen to slip by me.

_**Oh, and children! Review, Review, Review! We writers have egos to feed...the Ids hunger often.**_

* * *

**Shattered Melody: The Prelude**

_Many years ago, when England suffered the brunt of the Thousand Year empires' remnants, we lost many allies and enemies alike. The 'we' consisting of Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Knight of the Round table and young leader of the Hellsing organization, which empowered by our departed majesty the Queen, was in place to protect our crown and country by hunting and slaying the unnatural and damned creatures of the earth. Alongside Integral, myself, Seras Victoria: a young police woman turned vampire, Commander to Sir Hellsing's army. We lost our citizens, our soldiers, our mercenaries, our Captain and our Retainer, but most importantly, we lost our Count. _

_My Master. _

_Her servant._

_More than any other loss, his was felt the greatest. Sir Integral lost her knight and I lost my savior._

_Yet there was no time for mourning, no time to linger in the details of what could have happened. I still felt my Master, lost as he was, and so reassured of his imminent return I continued on. Sir Hellsing, with her iron will, made her way back to the Hellsing estate to await word from the Queen as her duty dictated, and I scoured the city destroying left over FREAKS per my orders. _

_If either of us faltered, it was in private. If either of us wept, it was in solitude. If either of our thoughts darkened on unwelcome paths, it was in the confines of our own minds. There was no time or room in the reconstruction of Hellsing, of England for that matter, to show weakness as Integral and myself suffered in the aftermath of our first war._

_So as the days, weeks, months, and eventually... years, passed and Sir Integral lost all hope in the return of the Count while busying herself with the organization and all its affairs, I waited. _

_I took watch, stepping into the role of my Master, and trained myself. I pushed myself to limits to show my worth upon his return. I would not fail Sir Integral while he was away. I would protect her so that no further treachery ever poisoned the veins of the Hellsing machine. I would not fail my Master._

_And so far, I haven't. _

* * *

_"Mas...ter...!"_

_"...Mast..er...!"_

**_"MASTER!"_**

Crimson eyes opened slowly, focusing in from the daze of a sleep that was thought to be impossible. Dark hair framed a pale face and strong features as a soft smile played upon deathly lips. Unconcerned, this figure stood suspended in darkness watching through a single portal his set destination.

"It's been a long time... I wonder..." His smile widened marginally before breaking into a face shattering grin. "A long time, indeed..." Voluminous laughter filled the void as the figure stepped through the portal and into the night for the first time in thirty years.


	2. Day 1

**Disclaimer:** All characters, settings, and plots belonging to the Hellsing manga or anime are property of Kouta Hirano. I am not profiting from this fiction and am merely writing it in tribute to a series I fully appreciate.

**Authors' Note:** As I do not have a beta at this time, please feel free to let me know of any grammatical errors if they happen to slip by me. The plot will be slow to develop at first but please bear with it.

_**Oh, and children! Review, Review, Review! We writers have egos to feed...the Ids hunger often.**_

* * *

**Day 1: Home**

_As I continued my sudo-patrol for the late morning around the Hellsing estate, I could not help but smile. My Master had returned to us just as I knew he would! I was elated, ecstatic, and floating on the complete high of my joy. _

_Last evening, Sir Integral and my Master had decided to hold off any in-depth discussions until the morning when the heiress was properly rested and my master had time to partake in a well deserved feeding. In those hours, I busied myself with addressing the troops and house staff on the return of the Elder vampire and carrying out my nightly duties before retiring for a short rest in the earlier part of the morning._

_Now with Sir Hellsing and Master Alucard discussing current and past events in her office, I was left to wander and wait, not that I couldn't join in on the conversation, but being that 30 years had passed and Integral didn't have time wait another thirty to catch up with the mad vampire I was content to let them have their time together._

_Stopping at one of the many windows overlooking the training grounds, I watched the troops below prepare for battles that were beyond most of their imaginations and as I continued to watch the men training, smelled the smoke of Integral's cigars, and felt the encompassing presence of my master, for once in many years, it felt like everything was the way it should be._

* * *

Focused crimson eyes watched as the petite vampire made her way down to the training grounds to begin the more rigorous training drills for the day, a small smirk making its way onto cold lips.

"What is it that you find amusing Vampire?" The Hellsing heir questioned taking another drag off of her cigar, the brow above her still functional eye raising in question.

Alucard's look became a leer as he stared at the Iron maiden. "Seras Victoria has completely come out of her timid shell I see. So comfortable and confident now. No hesitations. I wonder...is she that confident in the hands of a man?" His look became even more mischievous as his grin widened. "Or perhaps, you've kept her all to yourself, hmm?"

The male cackled with sick amusement as the platinum haired woman fired rounds into the air where his body once stood. Her face completely red as her cigar fell from her lips, she slammed the revolver onto her desk top. "Damned Vampire Swine! Keep your twisted ponderings!"

* * *

The troops tensed and sent worried glances to their commander, the small vampiress merely smiling fondly and continuing her inspection of their formation.

"Command-" A younger solider began before being swiftly silenced by a piercing stare. "Such events will become common once again with the return of Master Alucard. Get used to them and learn to distinguish these instances from the real emergencies. I will accept no more distractions due to the matter. Am I understood?" The vampiress explained in a deadly calm which demanded complete obedience.

"YES, COMMANDER!" Came the unison reply of the soliders as they saluted to the small woman at the head of the ranks.


End file.
